Searching the TARDIS
by Dweazil101
Summary: Rose helps herself to a tour of the TARDIS in her downtime, eventually finding the Doctor. Rating M for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

Authors note: Be relatively kind; I'm not a writer and this is my first fanfic, so I'm slowly making my way through it. This will probably be M+ rated  
in the future, so be forewarned.  
Disclaimer: I own none of the characters involved  
Thanks ^_^

It was quiet. Unusually quiet, actually. That was something of a rarity ever since Rose had first grabbed the Doctors hand and dove into that blue box the first time. Since that day, most of her time had been consumed by running, screaming, planning, saving the day, being saved and more running. With her old doctor, at least there had been quiet moments in between; not with this one! Sometimes she wondered if he talked so much just to avoid being alone with his thoughts. Where was he, anyway? Rose looked up from her book and looked around her room. It could do with a window; she missed that. What would a window on the TARDIS overlook though, the time vortex? Never mind, she thought. Probably better this way.

Slowly, she laid her book down on her comforter and tiptoed down the hallway, the metal gratings cold on her bare feet. Hmm. Not in the console room. If he wasn't in the library, she wouldn't even know where to begin looking for him amid the endless rooms. She checked the extensive library for anywhere a Time Lord might be hiding. Nothing. There were at least a dozen seats in this room, which made Rose wonder how many people he entertained at once in this room. She picked up the book that laid open by his favorite chair, careful to hold his place, and sat down in his spot thumbing through the book.

The whole room smelled like him, and she thought back to the last time she had found him here, kicked back with those glasses perched on the end of his nose. He was so engrossed in his book that the universe could have ended and he wouldn't have noticed. She closed her eyes and rested her head on the arm of the chair, kicking her feet over the other side. The book in her hand was some sort of alien mathematics book. How did he get so immersed in this kind of stuff? The more she thought about it, at over 900 years old, what was left for him to learn?

She still had a hard time believing his age. Nothing in his demeanor, sense of humor, and certainly not his body hinted to that kind of time. Occasionally she could see it deep in his eyes, when she felt she'd said something she oughtn't have. She knew he'd been through so many things before they had met and silently kicked herself each time she unwittingly sparked his memory to a moment he'd rather forget.

Closing the book, she laid it down and chose the next one in the pile. She was surprised to discover it was a plain hard-bound sketch book; she hadn't even known he could draw. The first few pages were random landscapes each laid in a rich charcoal, a few of which she recognized. Next were a few doodles of the console and tweaks he seemed to be thinking of making, a few alien figures and some script in a loopy, circular lettering. About halfway through, she came across a rough sketch of herself so exquisitely done that it surprised her. The next pages contained several more of Rose in various poses. Where was Sarah-Jane? Why hadn't he drawn any of the other companions that had traveled with him. 'Maybe he meant it when he said I was different' she half said aloud. Nah, silly to think that way; there are thousands of books in this room, and if this one is any indication, he must draw fairly often. There were probably others somewhere.

She slipped the sketch book under the weird math book and tried to replicate them the way she'd found them. It would be hard to explain why she was snooping around here in the first place. She stretched, then rose from his chair to leave, closing the door behind her. She had no intentions of getting lost but was confident that the TARDIS would not allow her to wander the corridors forever, so she continued her search for the Doctor. It was very unusual that he had left her alone this whole time.

Rose had spent long enough on the TARDIS to call it 'home' but had never really explored the rooms; there never seemed to be enough time between travels. She tried a few additional rooms and found nothing of note; the odd spare room here, a nice garden room there. At the end of one of corridors she found possibly the largest closet she'd ever seen. 'What an atrocious coat!' she exclaimed, pinching at the rainbow patchwork monstrosity in front of her. Rose suddenly got a mental picture of her Doctor adorning it and had to stifle a laugh. Clothes and coats of all styles and sizes filled the racks. If he has so many things, why does he stick to that same brown suit? Not that she minded... it showed off his assets quite nicely. She pushed that thought to the back of her mind, pulling down an impossibly long scarf. She wrapped it around herself half a dozen times and caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror before laughing aloud and putting it back.

The next room she came to had a dark wooden door which took her a bit of strength to shoulder open. The interior of the room was as dark as the door. The few little light sconces on the wall did little to brighten it, despite all their effort. Rose looked around in wonder and knew instantly that this was his room. She sat down on the edge of his bed, noting that he really must sleep as little as he said; the bed looked immaculate and hardly used. She spotted a large dark leather chair across the room and drew in a sharp breath. Laid out across the chair was his suit, the tie draped over one arm, his coat across the other. Right in front of the chair, kicked off in a heap, were his white trainers. Wherever he was, he wasn't wearing any of these things and as much as she might like to imagine how he'd look without them, she didn't want to surprise him in his own room. Again, this would he awkward to explain.

She quickly jumped up and smoothed the wrinkles out of the bed where she'd been sitting. A bed that's seldom used and suddenly wrinkled would raise an eyebrow that was usually raised anyway. Satisfied with her efforts, she quietly closed the heavy door and jumped back into the TARDIS hall. The responsible part of her brain suggested she make her way back to her own bedroom to keep herself out of trouble. The human part of it suggested she figure out what it was that a Time Lord does when his clothes are on a chair. She shrugged; she was only human.


	2. Chapter 2

Authors note: I thought this could be fun. I was having a hard time finding the kind of story I had in my head so, decided to start typing and see where it leads me.  
Disclaimer: Not my characters.

After a few more doors, nothing of note, she was suddenly hit in the face by a strong chlorinated smell. This must be the pool he'd jokingly talked about. She hadn't supposed it really existed but here it was. She should have been surprised by the fact that it didn't look much like a pool at all. It was beautiful grotto with a cascading waterfall that emptied into a natural looking pool. She should have noticed the walls were a deep blue with light shimmering off the quartz stones, casting various rainbows onto the ceiling and across the water. She really should have noticed all of those things, but her attention was otherwise occupied.

In the middle of the pool was the Doctor, wearing a pair of blue swimming trunks, floating on his back with his arms folded behind his head and eyes closed. That answered the question about why he'd shed his clothes. It was rude to stare but she really had no control over it. She had never seen him in anything less than a suit and the sight of him wearing nearly nothing was enough to cause her pulse to quicken. Yet again, this would be difficult to explain why she was spying on him, so she took a quick step backward. The next step would send her tripping over a small table she hadn't seen, dumping a glass and plateful of snacks onto the ground.

The shatter of glass pierced the silence and broke all the concentration the Time Lord had devoted to staying afloat. He sank into the pool, and kicked his way back to the surface coughing up water.

"ROSE! How long have you been standing there?"

Red faced, she stood up from the destruction she'd caused the poor table.

"Only just now. Sorry I scared you."

"Don't worry about it, you just startled me is all."

"I'm sorry. I hadn't seen ya in a while and just wondered where you'd gone."

She took another step back and started to excuse herself from the room.

"You don't have to leave, Rose. I could use the company. You know me, always up for a conversation"

He crossed the pool and stepped up onto the grass to get a towel. There was grass? She _really_ hadn't been paying attention, she noted.

"I don't wanna bother you. Besides, you looked peaceful like you were relaxin' and I didn't exactly have the time to pack a swimsuit when I ran off with you"

The Doctor crossed the room, draping the towel across his shoulders and used the side of one to dry the water from his hair. That impossible hair. Rose's attention waned from staring at his slender, yet somehow perfectly sculpted body up to that thick mane of pointy hair. How many times had she daydreamed about running her fingers through it, only to be snapped back into reality by whatever catastrophe they had gotten into?

"You won't bother me, Rose, really! I know how we're always rushing off and I just thought maybe you could use some down time for a day or so. It's really quite relaxing and not as cold as you'd think."

He stopped, eying her up and down, then looked away quickly.

"Besides, you don't really need to have a swimsuit to jump in. It's not as if there's a dress code."

Rose thought it over. Honestly, what was the difference between her bikinis back home and the matching bra and knickers she was wearing under her shirt and jeans? It would be so easy just to strip off her clothes and join him for a nice swim, but would that upset the tension that was already running between them. She couldn't deny that, as much as she tried to pretend it wasn't there, and the fact that she was unable to stop looking at him, memorizing every inch of him, wasn't making it easier to deny.

"Nah. I really don't want to get my hair wet." She started to make up another excuse when she saw his crestfallen look and swayed her mind a bit. Sticking around to watch him couldn't hurt, as long as she didn't touch. "But, I'll sit and talk with you and dip my feet in, if you don't mind"

He smiled. "I'd love you to!"

Obviously deciding he wasn't done swimming yet, the Doctor turned and dove back into the pool, haphazardly tossing his towel over her head. She laughed, tucked it under her arm and made her way to the grassy area on the left side of the pool. Spreading the towel on the ground, she sat cross-legged and began to roll her jeans up to the shin to avoid getting them soaked. She lowered her feet into the water; it was much warmer than she expected, he had been right. Then again, if the TARDIS could ensure that her shower was never cold, she supposed it could make the pool water cozy as well. She scooted to the edge and lowered her ankles in, laying back on the towel and spreading her arms out to feel the grass. Why hadn't he shown her this room before? It was truly breathtaking. She allowed her eyes to close and listened to the sound of the water cascading into the pool, completely relaxed.

The Doctor swam over to the edge of the pool where Rose was lounging on the towel, swishing her feet back and forth in the warm water. Resisting the urge to grab her ankle and pull her in, he simply hovered near her feet, content to gaze on her as she laid there, mindlessly fiddling with the grass between her fingers.


	3. Chapter 3

Authors note: Just for fun.  
Disclaimer: not my characters.

She was completely perfect; a fact that he tried to ignore for quite a long time now. The colors of this room couldn't dare compete with the pink and yellow girl in front of him; a girl who radiated light from her soul without ever once realizing it. She had saved him in more ways than he could ever repay and yet he was always somehow incapable of telling her exactly what that meant to him. How had she even found him? Having a hard time getting her out of his head, he had first retreated to his comfy chair in the library to engage himself in some reading. Somehow, instead, he found himself drawing her likeness in a sketchbook. Suddenly embarrassed by this, and mortified she might come across it, he buried the book under an old Glaxitorian Algebra book. Glaxitorian math was the dullest, dustiest read this side of the Milky Way, and he was sure she'd lose interest in the stack of books if she happened upon it.

After spending some time milling around his room thinking, he decided a swim could be just the thing he needed to relax. He was right; it was relaxing until someone fell over the table, breaking dishes. He had liked that glass; bought it from a street vendor once on a planet near Clom. Well, it wasn't so much the glass as the color. Well, maybe not so much the color as the memory of the street. Either way, he'd miss that glass.

The only way she could have found the pool room was if the TARDIS had lead her to it. 'Oh, you tricky girl, you!' he lamented to the humming walls. After several hundred years together, his TARDIS loved nothing more than to see her Time Lord happy, and as such, had recently taken to playing games like this to shove he and Rose together. Just last week, she had moved his shower room from it's customary spot right beside his bedroom (where it had literally been for generations) to a spot directly across from Roses bedroom _while he was in it_! Adding insult to injury, she failed to move his towel as well. He had managed to yell out from the cracked door that he needed her to fetch a random tool from the console, then darted down the hall as soon as she left her room. She didn't need to know she wouldn't find the tool in there. She certainly didn't need to know the tool never existed in the first place. He had made it back to his room in time to get dressed, dried and then, for good measure, help her look for it.

"What's got you a million miles away?"

Her voice snapped him back to the present.

"Huh? Ooooh, not much. Just trying to think where on earth I could have placed that neutron polarity reverser. I can't believe we never found it"

"Yeah, funny. It would have helped if you'd have described to me exactly what it was I was looking for!"

"Weellll, It's sort of long. Not too long, mind you, but relatively long. Also sort of grayish. No matter, turns out I didn't really need it in the first place. No big deal"

"Ah."

He climbed up from the water, but since his towel was otherwise occupied, he took a step back and quickly ran his hands through his hair, slashing the warm water all over Rose.

"Oi! I was dry, thank you very much!"

"You were never dry. Your feet were wet, not to mention you humans are made of over 70% water. How on earth could a few more drops possibly bother you?"

She glared at him. Well, she fake-glared at him. How could she possibly be angry with him right now. Honestly, she'd never seen him so...tangible. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the droplets of water running from his shoulders down his chest, across the tight muscles of his abdomen. She was staring. She fumbled for a snappy comeback but nothing sprang to mind. Instead she rose to free his towel so she could be freed of the distraction of the water droplets.

"Here, may as well dry off properly with this at least." she said, tossing his towel back into his face.

"Thanks!" he laughed, and began the process of drying off. Why was she looking at him like that? Certainly she'd seen someone swim before. Maybe she liked it, he thought. Just for a minute, he decided if Rose Tyler wanted a show, he'd make a show of it. He deliberately slowed down the process, closing his eyes and dabbing the water from each area of his skin.

His eyes popped back open when he heard the splash. Turning he saw Rose scramble back toward the surface, red faced and completely drenched.

"Are you okay? Did you fall?"

"Yeah, I musta stood up too fast and lost my balance."

He didn't need to know the truth. He had obviously caught her staring and decided to toy with her, so she broke the tension the only way she knew how. Feeling her face redden, she took a deep breath and plunged into the pool.

"You were a good 3 steps from the edge! Must be some kind of klutzy!"

"Yeah, well, you know me."

He thought he knew her as well as anyone else could and had never known her to be very clumsy. As she started to rise up from the pool, suddenly he cared less about how clumsy she was or wasn't, and more about the way her wet clothes were clinging to her body in very interesting ways. He reached forth a hand to help pull her up, not counting on her strength.

Bracing herself against the edge, Rose grabbed the Doctors hand and pulled hard, yanking him back into the pool with her.


	4. Chapter 4

Authors note: Thanks for the follows and faves. ^_^ I'm not from the UK but if there are any glaring errors in slang, let me know.  
Disclaimer: Obviously I don't own these characters.

He wasn't used to being caught off guard and Rose wasn't prepared for the dark look she received when he kicked his way back to the surface. It didn't last long. How could he be mad at her for doing what he had been plotting to do to her? Plus, he was already wet anyway. He laughed at the stream of water running from the yellow fringes of the hair framing her face that was dripping onto the warm pink skin on her neck.

"Rose Tyler, that certainly wasn't nice!"

"Maybe not, but it didn't hurt ya, and it _was_ funny."

He couldn't argue that, and laughed as she splashed a bit of water playfully in his face. He returned fire, amazed at how juvenile this game had become and how little he cared. She giggled, pushed a handful of water at him, then dove underwater and swam away, toward the fall. Naturally, he followed close behind. Just as she'd never leave him, he silently vowed to never let her get too far away, even if it was just to the other side of the pool.

The closer Rose go to the fall, the more she realized the water on that side wasn't nearly as deep. At the heart of the waterfall, the water was only a couple of feet deep, and Rose discovered as she rose from the water that it was very hard to navigate in jeans that were soaked. She could dry off and return to her room, but she had to admit that the water felt nice and she wasn't quite ready to leave the company of the alien she had been staring at.

She thought back to how she ended up in the water in the first place and decided this was a game she could play at as well. She may not win, but what was the harm in playing a bit? She pulled herself onto the edge of the pool, unrolled the jeans from her shins, unbuttoned them and then slowly began to peel them off. She didn't dare look over at him; that would ruin the innocence she was attempting to feign.

Okay maybe a peek. Was he looking? Yes, although he was pretending not to be. Perhaps the mighty Time Lord wasn't as impervious as he thought he was. She hid a smile, looked down and, as an afterthought, discarded the soaked t-shirt as well in a heap off to the side. Without hesitation, she slid back into the water and walked casually back to the deeper part of the pool near the Doctor who was pretending not to look.

Where was she going? The water over there certainly wasn't deep enough to swim in, but perhaps she didn't know that. The Doctor watched and she rose out of the water, and didn't notice how the wet fabric of the shirt had become see-though. He didn't notice that her soaked pants clung to her curves just so. He certainly didn't notice the deep fuschia bra that was now clearly visible. Time Lords wouldn't notice these types of things, he thought. So what was wrong with him? There were laws in place for these very reasons, you idiot! So why was the sight of this twenty year old human causing his innermost thoughts to disregard them?

'Oh, now, come on! That was going too far' he thought as he watched her shed her jeans. He could feel the blood rush to his face and turned slightly, preoccupying himself with the wall to the right. It could use something there, maybe a chair, a shelf for books; why is her shirt off? He looked back in time to catch a glimpse of Rose standing there wearing only that pink bra and a matching set of pink knickers.

It was his fault, he had said there was no dresscode. He hadn't counted on her taking him up on that offer and was horrified that she would catch him looking. He also hadn't counted on her skin being quite so creamy, beige and flawless. His gaze wandered down her shoulders to her slender figure. He knew she was fit, but hadn't counted on ever seeing her from this sort of vantage point. He breathed in sharply as a chill ran over her body, raising little bumps on her impossibly lovely skin. He had started to swim the opposite direction when she began to lower herself back into the water.

He had been caught staring. Fumbling for an idea of how to explain, he swam closer to her and met her at the point where the water was up to her chest. Easily able to stand, he reached out a hand.

"You've got a little smudge, right here. There we go!" he said, gently rubbing a bit of mascara from her cheek that had run from her eyes."

She had wanted to tease him but hadn't anticipated him to reach out and touch her face. He was a good deal taller than her and she suddenly found herself closer to his bare chest than she planned to be. Subconsciously, she found herself leaning into his touch, closing her eyes. She could stand here like this forever; inside a time machine was that even a possibility? Rose expected him to move back after he withdrew his hand but he stood there silently looking at her. Instinctively, she reached out her hand and pushed a wisp of his hair away from his eyes; eyes so dark she saw reflections of herself in them. She traced a droplet of water down the side of his face with her fingertips. Suddenly, he turned his head, catching her hand in his and brought it to his lips, brushing a light kiss across the back of her hand.

Rose opened her eyes. Where did this come from, and now what? A dozen thoughts and emotions plagued her mind at once but only one action persevered. She lightly drew her other hand on the back of his head, toying with his hair, closed her eyes, stood on her tiptoes and softly touched her lips to his.


	5. Chapter 5

Authors Note: Thanks for the nice reviews!  
Disclaimer: Characters aren't mine.

This was a surprise. The Doctor wasn't sure what had possessed him to kiss her hand but it seemed to have sparked Rose's confidence. He should be the one to stop it. He leaned in closer. 'No no no, really, you can't do this!' he thought to himself, though he made no motion to stop. In fact, every part of him seemed to be in stern defiance of his self-enforced code of conduct. His arm wasn't listening as it mirrored her action and ran his fingers through her hair. Neither were his lips as they pressed against hers. Even his tongue, who he thought he could trust, was indulging in the delight of the inside of Roses mouth, gently tasting the gloss still clinging to her lips after their swim. The taste of her of made another part of his anatomy begin to betray him as well.

He felt himself giving up. What was the point in arguing with one's self if one's self didn't care to listen anyway. Besides, it wasn't like he wasn't enjoying it, and if he could shut his mind off, he was certain he'd enjoy it even more. Say, just how long _had_ they been kissing? He felt Rose sway lightly and noticed that she'd been standing on her toes this whole time. 'Well, certainly that must be uncomfortable.' he thought. Rose had dropped one arm to his shoulder and drew the other one up to join it for balance, making it quite easy to sweep her feet out from under her. The Doctor cupped one arm behind her knees and drew her up into his arms, cradling her in the water; their lips still unbroken.

Rose had quite literally been swept up by the Doctor. She wasn't sure what had come over her when she practically threw herself at him, but at least he didn't reject her, like she had always anticipated. She found herself now cradled in his strong embrace, her legs dangling over his arm; a relief really, as her legs had started to tremble. She broke contact with his lips for breath and rested her head against his chest. Her own chest fluttered a bit as she felt his lips press against her forehead.

Neither one knew exactly what to say, but the quiet in the air was beginning to get awkward. Rose knew if this was where they left it, the next few weeks would be a mixture of casual conversation, minimal eye contact and trying to avoid each other in the TARDIS corridors. On the other hand, if they took it any further, what kind of disaster might that turn out to be? She thought back to the kind of rows she and Mickey used to have. A brief thought flashed into her mind; screaming at a slammed TARDIS door as it dematerialized, leaving her on a random planet until they'd both cooled off. No, certainly it couldn't be that bad, could it? He'd been angry with her before but had always threatened to take her home, never just leave her. Could she ever really go back home? The very thought of ruining her friendship with the Time Lord and being exiled back her old mundane life was something she couldn't fathom.

But why should she focus on what might be, while ignoring what was? They'd never felt the need to categorize and label what they were to each other before, so why did that method have to change? Maybe they'd be lovers, or maybe just best friends who saved alien worlds then snogged each other senseless in swimming pools when there was nothing else to do. She giggled slightly at that thought, bringing her back into reality.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing, just remembered something Mum said." she covered, knowing he'd drop the question if her mother were involved.

The thought of Jackie staled the moment, obvious by the expression on his face. Rose was always quite honest with her mother, certainly this event would be fodder for conversation at some point. For a small woman, Jackie could deliver a slap hard enough to make ones ears ring for hours. While she had seemed to warm up to him in the last few encounters, as long as he was still dragging Rose into the midst of danger she would never trust him.

He slowly lowered Rose back down into the water. He'd made a mistake and allowed his desire to touch her get the best of him. As bad as this was, he didn't want to hurt her feelings. If he were to be honest with himself, he wanted this more than he ever guessed he would. Each time she jumped from the TARDIS door, eager to face whatever lay ahead, he found himself more and more enamored with her. Maybe it was something about her enthusiasm and complete faith in him, but he always found himself playing for her amusement. He was eager to show off, after all, he knew how impressive he could seem if he wanted to. In her, he'd met his match. She was brilliant, beautiful, quick to learn and best of all, easy to entertain. He thrived off his ability to amaze her and it was her sense of wonder that reminded him that there were still good things in the universe to be observed. It had been a number of years since he last remembered feeling that way. He withdrew his hands from her waist a bit too quickly, stepping backwards.

"Look, Rose, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for things to-"

"No, I get it. Sorry." she snapped, feeling a bit embarrassed at his sudden change of heart and subsequent rejection. It was all going quite well but Rose reminded herself that as human as he may look, he probably didn't understand the concept of mixed signals. Either way, she would not allow him to see her upset by it. She turned and quickly made her way back up the sloping pool onto the grass, grabbed her clothes and left.


	6. Chapter 6

Authors Note: A bit more fluff. Most likely M rated content in the chapter/s following this, so be warned.  
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters.

'Okay, think! How do I fix this? How did I blow it in the first place?' the Doctor thought. He was so incredibly thick sometimes. He'd been wanting more between them for the longest time and he had to screw it up. He had to find her and talk this over. Well, first he had to get out of the water, get dressed in something decent, then go find her. Where does a girl go when she's angry? He climbed up from the pool toward the door, careful to walk around the broken glass.

Rose casually walked from the pool, careful to make her exit seem nonchalant. However, as soon as she was out of sight, she bolted down the halls. She had made a fool of herself and hoped that if she could avoid him until at least tomorrow, this all might blow over and they could pretend it didn't happen. The corridors were colder than usual before she remembered she was still half naked, clutching wet clothes. She sped into her bedroom and closed the door behind her. She knew if he wanted to find her, he'd come straight here. Rose doubted he wanted to talk at the moment, but just in case, she grabbed some dry clothes and headed toward her shower. A hot shower would warm her up, and the locked door would probably deter even the talkative Doctor from entering.

He changed his mind back and forth several times about whether or not to search for her. Would it be better to talk tonight or leave it until she'd had some time to sleep. 'Perhaps that was best' he thought, as he searched through his drawers for more comfortable clothes. 'A bit of rest might be in order.' Pulling on a pair of dark fleece pajama pants and a plain gray undershirt, he allowed himself to collapse faced-down on his bed. On second thought, maybe waiting until morning will just make it worse. He rolled over and stared at the ceiling, resting his hands behind his head. The Doctor tried to close his eyes, but in the end, sighed and scrambled to his feet. It was probably best to deal with it now; he wouldn't sleep anyways.

Making his way down the hall, he casually checked a few places she may be, but ultimately knew she was probably in her room. Every other time she was upset with him, that was always her retreat. He stood in front of her door, hesitant to knock. This was silly! Why was he so afraid to talk to her? It wasn't like he didn't know her; they had traveled together for so long and shared so many stories that it was silly to be scared to simply address this. He tapped lightly on the door; no answer. Maybe she wasn't in there. Maybe she was ignoring him. Again, he knocked a bit louder. Oh Come on! Yes, maybe she was mad at him but that was no reason to ignore him. Like it or not, she _was_ going to talk! He retrieved his screwdriver and quietly aimed for her door before realizing that he had yet to try the handle. It really didn't make sense to destroy her door if it wasn't even- nope. It was never locked in the first place. Obviously she didn't want to be left alone _that_ badly.

He opened the door and was surprised to see that she wasn't here. Having already checked the few rooms she knew about, he knew it was a matter of time before she would be back. The chairs in the library were well broken in, but they were hardly comfortable enough to sleep in for any substantial amount of time. He would wait here for her to return. He walked around the room, observing the trinkets, books and pictures she had collected over their time together; all of these things had shaped this room into a reflection of her. At the far wall, he came to a door and instantly heard the faint sound of a shower. Hadn't she had enough water for one day? He could easily break into that lock if he felt the need, but it would be difficult to come up with a reason why he couldn't wait until she was dressed to talk. He walked back over to the bed in the middle of the room, content to sit on the pink comforter until she was done.

Rose was right; the warm shower did wonders to lift her spirits and eradicate the chill from her run down the TARDIS halls. On the flip side, it could have been the soap she was using too. It was a fragrant blue foam that she picked up on some planet she'd forgotten the name of. Just the smell of it was a sort of aroma-therapy that made her wonder why she was upset in the first place. 'It wasn't like he deliberately set out to reject me; actually he seemed quite into it for the longest time' she mused. She finished her shower and wrapped a towel around her hair and one around her body before heading back toward her room.

Of all the things she'd seen on her travels, she was unprepared for the sight of a Time Lord, sprawled across her bed, toying with a sand-globe kick-knack from her nightstand. Letting out a squeak, she started to lose her balance, half-dropping the towel she was holding in around her. A crash of broken glass told her he had noticed.

"What are you doing in here? You could'a knocked at least, and I loved that globe!"

"Rose, I'm sorry I-" he started, scurrying off the bed to pick up the shards. It was broken in too many places to fix, he concluded. "For your information, I did knock, and when there was no answer, I worried, so I let myself in and waited."

"It's alright, I suppose. You owe me a new sand-globe though."

"Deal, but you owe me a new glass to make up for the one you killed earlier!" he joked.

"So, is that why you're here, then? To get revenge for your broken glass by breaking my stuff?"

"Of course not! I wanted to talk to you."

"Oh? What about?"

This was frustrating. He was getting nowhere and she knew _exactly_ what he'd come to talk about.

"Rose, please don't insult us both by pretending earlier didn't happen. I came to apologize for letting my thoughts get in the way of your feelings. I never meant to make you run away from me. Any running you do should be with me!"

This wasn't the conversation Rose thought he had come to make. Expecting him to relay how Time Lords were above everyone else and he wasn't to get involved, she wondered what point he was driving at.

"I did not run from you!" she lied. "I just don't know what to make of you sometimes. You act like you like me and then when I think you might tell me so, you always back down. I don't know how to feel, Doctor!" But she knew exactly how she felt and for some reason she knew if she didn't just lay it out there, nothing would ever come of it. For better or worse, she had to say it.

"You said I can spend the rest of my life with you but you can't spend yours with me. I made my choice a long time ago and I never want to leave. I'm willing to stay for as long as you'll have me, as long as when the time comes for me to leave, it's mutual and I get a proper goodbye. I want to be your companion, friend and as many other things as you'll let me be."

The Doctor was taken aback. He knew she wanted to stay with him but hadn't anticipated what that entailed. He closed his eyes in thought. Just tell her! Tell her you feel the same. Someday he'd feel the pain of losing her, but could it really be worse than the pain of never having her at all? There _were _laws in place to keep this from happening, but those laws had long such lost any meaning. As the last Gallifreyan, the only person to hold him accountable was himself, and he felt the last bit of moral superiority melt. He could agree to her terms.


	7. Chapter 7

"Okay."

"Okay? Okay what?" she said warily.

"Okay, yes! I never meant to toy with your emotions, Rose. I'm old, incredibly daft and never dreamed you felt this way. I'd love to have more with you, but the thought of having to give you up some day keeps me from acting on it. You enjoy this now, this madness and chaos, but someday you'll want to stop. I can't give you the kind of life you'll eventually want, the kind you deserve. You'll grow tired of the running and you'll leave; everyone does in the end."

Rose sat down beside him on the billowy comforter, securing her towel.

"Doctor, if my life doesn't have you in it, it's not the life I want anyway. You tried to shrug me off several times when we first met, I didn't know why but I followed you. Before I stumbled into the TARDIS the first time, before you'd taken me to see things I never dreamt of, it was just you I was followin', nothing else. If a life wasted on Earth, working in shops and watching the telly is what you think I deserve, you don't know me very well."

"Oooh, come on! Life on Earth's not so bad! I should know, spent quite a lot of time exiled there myself. Seems like a lifetime ago, sometimes I miss it, especially Bessie." he said, with a far-off look in his eye.

She felt her face redden. She was pouring her heart out to him and just when he had begun to reciprocate, he suddenly goes off on a trip down memory lane with an old flame, obviously!

"Who the hell was Bessie? Another companion in the long line, another notch on your belt? Quite a name, _Bessie_. The sort of name you'd give a cow!" she blurted, instantly aware she'd gone too far.

"Close. A car."

"And I- a what?"

"Bessie was a _car_, Rose. There was no woman, no girlfriend, and look! I don't wear a belt, no notches!"  
he said, lightly tugging his shirt up to prove his point.

"I'm sorry, Doctor. I always seem to muck things up and say the stupidest thing. We apes sometimes do that, ya know."

The Doctor winced. There it was again, the cruelest thing he'd ever said to her; the phrase he'd regretted saying since it first left his lips.

"Please don't say that, you know that I didn't mean it and I've apologized over a dozen times. You're entitled to a bit of human jealousy from time to time. As long as we're admitting it, how do you think I felt each time you swanned off with another boy during our trips. Why do you think it took me so long to like Jack?"

Rose smiled shyly, remembering that she really had no right to judge him. How could he even think that Jack or Adam or even Mickey could compare to him? For an impossibly old alien, he really was nothing more than an insecure teenager! She was finished talking for now, though she knew he was never truly done talking. She listened for a few moments before leaning forward and shutting him up by pressing her lips over his.

He hadn't realized how much he tended to prattle on until Rose had found a way to end the conversation. Who was he to make her change her mind? If she wanted to stay forever, it was her choice to make and he would not embarrass her again by unmaking it for her. He would keep his tiny pink and yellow girl and he would always save her. He leaned into the kiss, placing both of his hands around her face. She broke away from his lips, leaving him gaping with sad eyes for a moment before closing them again as she touched her lips up the side of his jaw line and across his neck.

Suddenly, Rose felt uncomfortable wearing only a towel. She lightly kissed his temple, then arose from the bed, excusing herself to grab some clothing. His eyes followed her as she crossed the room to her wardrobe and then disappeared into her bathroom. He smirked to himself as he planted his hands behind his head and plopped backwards onto bed, waiting to see what she had chosen.


	8. Chapter 8

Authors Note: Thanks for sticking with me this long, and sorry to keep you waiting for the smut. I just never really thought if they were to ever get to that point, it would be something rushed. Thanks again for the follows, faves and reviews, they make me happy :)  
Disclaimer: Not my characters

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Rose closed the bathroom door behind her, sliding down the surface to bury the sides of her face in her palms, elbows resting on her knees. It was all out there now, what was she waiting for? Furthermore, what did he expect to happen when she emerged? She had daydreams of this scenario many times; about how it all played out, but she'd never really thought it through. She knew nothing about his species? If anything were to happen, would they even be compatible? She glanced down at the clothing she'd hastily grabbed from the drawer in the wardrobe; she hadn't even looked when she reached in. A pale blue chemise and a pair of lavender knickers. They didn't even match! She sighed, slipped them on, and grabbed a quick final peek in the mirror.

'Could do with a bit of mascara, at least. Maybe a touch of gloss as well.' she thought. She set to work on her face, careful to apply enough makeup to flatter her, but not so much that he'd notice she'd applied it just for him. Satisfied, she took a deep breath, smoothed out a wrinkle in her nightgown and turned the door handle.

A moment after Rose had disappeared into the bathroom, the Doctor quietly shifted from the bed. He didn't know what she was thinking, but he wouldn't want to be ill-prepared. Spotting a mirror across the room, he checked his teeth; no food, good! Say, when had they last eaten, anyway, he could certainly go for some- oh, no matter, it wasn't important just now! He ran his fingers through his hair quickly. It was sticking up; it always stuck up anyway. He messed with it for a moment before jumping back into the bed, looking for all the world like he'd never moved.

She stepped out into the room, adorning a simple modest sleeping gown. While he had seen her in far less earlier in the evening, his admiration for this choice was apparent on his face.

"That's a lovely color, it suits you quite nicely."

"Thank you." she blushed.

He stood up, bridging the gap between them with a few swift steps, before wrapping his arms around her waste and kissing her soundly. She hadn't expected so bold a move, but roped her arms around his neck to complete the embrace. She also hadn't expected him to be such a good kisser. Spinning around, she slowly backed him toward the bed until the back of his knees were against the edge, then causally shoved him over.

'Whoa! Where had that come from?' he wondered. 'Was this really going to happen?' The Doctor felt himself sink deeper and deeper into the intoxication of her as she climbed up over him, planting each of her knees on either side of his hips. Straddling his slim body, she pressed her chin against his face, nudging his head to one side, exposing his sharp jawline. She ran her tongue from the pit between his clavicles all the way up his neck, ending at his ear. Satisfied with the catch in his breath, she flicked her tongue over his earlobe a few times before sucking it into her mouth and lightly nibbling on it. A sudden tightening of his pants reminded him of how long it had been since anyone had done that sort of thing. He shifted his hips to avoid notice and ran his lips across the creamy flesh of her shoulder.

Rose sat up, leaning back onto her heals to take the sight of him in. Gods, he was lovely! She smiled knowingly and quickly dipped her hands under the hem of they gray cotton shirt he was wearing, smirking as she ran her fingers over his tight abdomen, up his check and onto his nipples.

Not to be outdone, he did the same. He should have thought that through a bit more, he concluded. Was that too far? He opened his eyes and looked for any sign that she disapproved. Finding none, he continued, cupping each tender breast simultaneously. They were so round, so soft, so perfect. He ran his thumbs over her nipples lightly, feeling them stiffen at his touch. She closed her eyes, allowing him freedom to explore.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: The characters don't belong to me.

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The Doctor never really felt comfortable unless he was the one in command of every situation. While it was nice to lie back and let Rose examine him, he was ready to return the favor. Once her eyes were closed, he closed his hands around her waist, flipping her over onto her back and replicated her earlier pose; his knees tucked around her beautiful thighs. She retaliated by grabbing the base of the shirt he was wearing and tugging it up over his head. Either he move his arms from the bed, or be forced to keep the shirt on like a blindfold. While he was interested in that prospect, he relented. That sort of game could wait for another day. He moved his arms and slowly slid the shirt the rest of the way off.

"Completely unfair, Rose Tyler! You stay warm in your blue thingy while I get to freeze to death here!" he joked.

"I hardly think you'll freeze. Besides, it's not a thingy, it's a chemise! Get it right."

"Of course, of course. Call it what you want, but to me, it's one more thing in the way." he said, peeling the straps down over her arms.

She laughed, raising her torso so that he could pull it up over her body and toss it off the bed onto the floor to join his shirt.

He drew in a sharp breath, hardly believing he was straddling a topless Rose Tyler and tried to playback in his mind what he possibly could have done to deserve it. When he couldn't think up a reasonable explanation, he shrugged, letting his mind wander back to the task at hand. Her breasts were immaculate! He leaned forward, tracing the curve of each breast first with his index finger, next with his tongue. Ending at her hardened nipples, he paused before flicking his tongue over one, then closing his mouth around it. It was rose-colored. He winced inwardly at the terrible pun.

Rose lay beneath him, drinking in the sight of him teasing her nipples. She sighed, raising her arms to run them through his hair. Shifting her hips, she ran her feet up along his long legs, feeling the muscles in his calves tighten. This was heaven.

The Doctor broke contact with her skin, noticing the goosebumps that covered them both. Maybe there was something to his joke about freezing to death in here. The more the looked around, he realized he wanted this more than anything. But not here. This room was far too innocent to soil with the things he wanted to do to her. He back up and extended a hand to Rose.

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing, nothing at all. I've thought of this moment several times and this is not how I pictured it. Let me take you someplace warmer."

Rose wasn't particularly cold, but as long as he wasn't willing her to stop, she'd follow him anywhere. She arose from the bed and started to take a step towards the door when he scooped her up from behind into his arms.

Carrying her down the TARDIS corridor, she suddenly knew what room they were going to. The heavy wooden door gave it away instantly. She smiled inside; suddenly the dark empty room she had seen before seemed like quite the romantic spot.

"What room is this?" She asked innocently. The Doctor smiled. He knew she had already been here earlier by her scent on his bed, the way the bedspread had been messed with and the fact that she hadn't completely closed the door the last time. It was tricky, that door; liked to drift back open if you didn't jiggle the handle just the right way. He decided to let her get away with it.

"This is my room, Rose. I hardly use it, but it's a nice solitary spot when I need quiet."

"It isn't any warmer in here than it was in my room, Doctor." she mused, rubbing her hands over her exposed arms for warmth.

"Just give her a minute; it will be."

He crossed the room and nudged a small control panel on the wall. Suddenly a small fireplace she hadn't seen roared to life.

"Ah."

He had managed to impress her again, he noted, and reveled in the way her face lit up in the glow of the flames. Catching the reflection of the yellow light in her eyes, he was reminded of the first time he had ever kissed her, a memory she would never share. He had given one of his lives to save her that night. He would give all the rest of them to keep her.

He walked to her and sensuously kissed her again, sat on the edge of the bed and pulled her into his lap. She ran her hands down his back, dancing her fingertips across his spine, before rubbing her hands over the soft fleece of his pajama pants, getting the reaction from him that she was after. That confirmed it, they would be compatible. She slid off his lap and positioned herself behind his, rubbing her hands over his back, giving his a light massage. He dropped his head down and slightly to the left, which allowed her access to nibble on the sides of his neck again. She nuzzled his skin and leaned into his ear.

"You were right, Doctor," she purred, "It is warmer in here."

The Doctor had held it all together until that moment. Who knew all it took to convert him into a lustful kid was a beautiful woman whispering in his ear? He spun around, catching her off guard and cradled her backwards in his arms until he was back atop her again. Licking her ear, he whispered "You're playing a dangerous game, dear. I would never do anything you don't want, but I need to be absolutely certain this is what you really want."

Rose did not like to have her intentions questioned. She decided not to answer him verbally, instead opting to show she accepted the risks in another way. Snaking her hands under the waistband of the soft pants, she grasped her hands around his shaft and sunk her teeth deep into his neck.


	10. Chapter 10

Authors Note: Thanks for the feedback and the patience. A few edits have been made in previous chapters, but nothing that really requires re-reading if you've made it this far. Typos, changing some phrases and what-not. Anyway, enjoy these 'not mine' characters!

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'Whoa! Too much! To fast!,' the Doctor thought to himself. He wasn't prepared for Rose to react like that and if that was the rate they she wanted to take, it would be over before it had begun. He had to make her pull back, but of course, had made no motion to do so. 'No-no-no. yes. Yes? NO!' he fought with himself.

At last, he pulled his neck back, breaking contact with her teeth and slid his body down from the bed, his knees coming to rest on the floor, freeing her hands from their grasp around his parts.

"What is it now?", Rose asked, exasperated. He always seemed to have some moral crisis in his head that ruined each moment at the worst possible time.

Sensing her anger begin to return, he placed his hands on he hips and toyed with the waistband of the pale purple knickers.

"Nothing. I just think it best that if we choose to proceed, we really ought to move at a pace that allows me to savor every last moment."

She saw no problem with that and allowed him to continue playing with the lace.

He had avoided a second argument and was pleased with his choice of words for the moment before paying closer attention to his surroundings. Draped on either side of his shoulders were the soft pale legs he had admired from afar for quite some time. Gently, he traced the contours of her calves; softly rubbed her ankles and ghosted his fingertips across her small, adorable feet. He smiled at the shudder and realized she was ticklish; he would lock that information away for another day. Also, he knew that tickling could sometimes lead to violent reflexes and his head and vital parts were far too vulnerable to risk kicked . He ran his hands back up her legs before stopping at the line of lace once more. One piece of fabric. Just one small miniscule scrap of cloth was resting between Rose being his best friend and Rose becoming so much more. Obviously it had to go! He placed his fingers back into the waistband and pulled on it lightly, careful not to rip the delicate fabric and hoping this way okay with her.

Rose lifted her hips to allow the lace to slid from her legs, and the Doctor wasted no time in finishing the task, tossing them across the room to land on his chair. Obviously this way perfectly okay. He rubbed his hands over the soft skin of her inner thighs before making his choice. 'Allons-y!' he thought to himself, and lowered his face, running his tongue along her folds, taking in the sweetness that was Rose.

She had seen him lick, taste and chew on several types of objects. She sometimes thought he was simply toying with her as he licked his fingers or flitted his tongue across random things, supposedly for experimentation. She had even fantasized about how he could possibly put that tongue to good use. She had not, however, thought he was just plunge right into this! She arched her hips back in surprise, at first because she was shocked that he went for it, but more-so because his mouth was cold! Just cold enough to be stimulating yet not painful, and skilled enough to send her blood coursing through her veins faster. She reached out and playfully tousled his hair as he continued.

The Doctor was enjoying this much more than he had imagined and peeked one eye up to see if she was as well. Yep. Satisfied, he upped his efforts, circling his tongue around her, nibbling lightly, then dipped one of his fingers into her. She jumped. Good, he was going for that, he added another finger and used them to explore further into Rose than anyone ever had. Hearing her soft moans, he speculated his time to explore was nearly at an end, and was surprised when she jumped back from him, closing her legs and lightly kicking him to the side. He opened his mouth to protest before he was slammed into the floor by this tiny blonde girl.

"You wanted this to last longer, Doctor. Fine by me."

She was fast, he had to admit that. In no time, she had ended his fun, knocked him down and stolen his pants. How had she managed that and wh-? His thought process was interrupted by the fact that his tiny blonde girl had taken it upon herself to return the favor.

Rose paused for a moment to drink it all in. Pinned to the floor in his own bedroom, was the Doctor, and she had stripped him completely nude. She giggled at the look of shock on his face, but really, she had been so close to going over the edge a moment ago that she had to do _something_. This was as good a something as anything. Her eyes scanned over him, impressed again by the amount of lean muscle that reflected in the firelight. She took his length in her hands and lightly licked her tongue across the tip. Remarkably human, she concluded. In fact, his colder body temperature was the only thing gave him away as decidedly non-human. She ran one hand up and down, slowly at first, while tasting him with her mouth. Hearing his breath quicken, she quickened her pace, feeling him harden even more with each stroke.

When was the last time he'd felt anything this fantastic? He whispered her name quietly. Why had he denied himself the pleasure of this for all this time. He felt both his hearts race faster, felt his body begin to tense each time she lightly teased him with her teeth. Shouldn't that hurt? Perhaps it did, but it was a lovely kind of hurt.

Then, just as suddenly as she'd taken him to the floor, Rose stopped. Quizzically he opened his eyes in time to see her slink up to him. He sat up, taking her in his arms before understanding her intent. She stood up, taking his hand and lead her Doctor back onto the bed.


	11. Chapter 11

He didn't use this bed enough. He required very little sleep and was occasionally content to catnap in his library chair, uncomfortable as it was. He had never used this bed for this purpose. In fact, when was the last time he'd done this? Did he even remember how it? He shrugged; if he was good at anything, it was making things up along the way. Plans always fell apart anyway.

He allowed Rose to lead him onto the large mattress, following her like a hungry puppy. She was delicious, after all. Who could blame him? She pulled one of his pillows out from under the blankets and laid her head on it, her golden tresses fanning out around her. Sitting back, he admired her body once more. Slowly he worked his way up, laying small kisses from her feet all the way up, lingering at each pressure point for far too long. Her skin was quite warm beneath his touch, reminding him of the nearly thirty degree difference in their body temperatures. Never having been with a human before, he wondered if he would be able to withstand the heat inside her. He'd taken greater risks, he decided. He lightly teased her clit with the tip of his tongue before guiding his tongue up her lovely skin, across the muscles of her abdomen and settled in the valley between her breasts.

He judged her reaction, shifted his body slightly, then continued his quest upwards, ending face to face. She looked incredible with her eyes closed, waiting in what seemed like anticipation. He lowered his face slightly, kissing her lips full on while simultaneously lowering his body, teasing her with the tip. She reached up, caressing his cheek and running her other hand down his smooth back, only to rest her hand on his amazing backside. Finishing his tender kiss, he whispered a kiss across her eyelashes.

"Are you absolutely sure, Rose?"

"Aren't you?"

"Never been more sure of anything." he said.

Grasping her hips, he raised Rose into a comfortable position, kissed her lips and slowly plunged inside her.

Gasping, Rose jumped a bit; he was like ice! She raised her hips to take in as much of him as she could, while he held back, giving her time to adjust. She didn't take long and soon had wrapped her legs around his back, guiding him into a pace that drained all thought from her mind.

Her legs felt tight and soft at the same time and he was taken aback at how much heat she was generating. It was like being in a sauna. 'No,' he thought. 'That's a lousy comparison.' There really was nothing like it, and he concluded that forever after, the feeling of being inside Rose Tyler could only be described as 'being inside Rose Tyler.'

He continued his pace, following her inadvertent facial clues, which were guiding him on what she wanted and where she needed it. He drew in a sharp breath; she was suddenly tightening from the inside out. Just when he thought he had found all the hidden pleasures she had to offer, she kept finding ways to surprise him. It would be difficult to continue at this rate, especially when she insisted on moaning and mouthing his name over and over. He countered by whispering her name as well.

Rose felt herself approaching the apex of her control. Unwilling to let this end so suddenly, she snaked a leg around his legs, twisting until she found herself on top with a very shocked Time Lord staring at her. Really, how many times had she proven her strength tonight? He really should pay more attention.

She repositioned herself over him, and slowly lowered her body back down onto him. Leaning forward, she braced her palms on the bed above his shoulders and allowed him back inside. The angle was perfect, so she wrapped her feet around his legs and continued to ride him at a speed that made his heartbeats so audible they rivaled the crackling fire. After what seemed like an eternity, and yet no time at all, she felt her insides go numb, starting from the pit of her stomach, spreading over her like a warm shower. Nothing and no one else could ever compare to this, and the she could feel her walls beginning to contract, squeezing him like a soft vice. She was close enough to taste it and hoped he was getting there as well; she had no desire to fall over the edge alone.

It felt like so much, so brilliant and so perfect. He felt his body holding back, waiting until he was absolutely certain Rose was at her climax as well. On a whim, he reached out and brushed a stray strand of hair back behind her ear. Touching her temple, he knew he should ask for permission, but who has the time, really? He reached out with his mind and lightly touched her mind with every emotion he was feeling at the time.

Startled, Rose cried out, not anticipating the images suddenly flooding her mind. Everything he was and had been was suddenly impressed in her memory; images of places she'd never been and words he'd never felt were needed saying. She touched on each thought he had given her, before testing the waters by backtracking their path, into his mind. It was much more guarded than hers had been but he was startled nonetheless to find her there. He was more surprised by the amount of love she had for him. She had poured her heart out to him earlier but words can never sum up the whole of raw thought.

Now both linked in more way than one, they both knew what it would take to push them into ecstasy, and that kind of knowledge is a very useful thing to have. Putting himself back into control, the Doctor regained his position on top and continued on until they both felt waves of pleasure explode over them. Rose dug her fingernails into his back as he braced himself against her neck and bit lightly into her skin. He could feel her orgasm pulse over his member while she felt his cool her from the inside out.

Raising slowly to avoid hurting her, he pulled back and settled beside her, feeling her hot breath against his skin; both covered in a light layer of sweat from their last hour and the excessive heat from the fireplace. There was so much to say. He rested his head on the pillow and guided her head to rest on his chest. For once, talking could wait.


	12. Chapter 12

Author's Note: Thanks everyone for the amazing kind words and for bearing with me through my first story. Hope you enjoy the last chapter.

Disclaimer: Rose, the Doctor and none of other characters belong to me.

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The Doctor couldn't recall the last time he felt so relaxed. He stretched his arm out and cracked his eyes open, momentarily startled by the blonde head resting on his chest. He had fallen asleep; when had that happened? Memories of how all the events of the evening came to result in this flooded back into his mind and he smiled, touching a light kiss to Rose's hair. As lovely as this was, he was already restless and didn't want to wake her up by fidgeting. He calculated his options, and eventually settled on slipping out of bed and replacing his body with a pillow at lightning speed. He rolled off the bed, shoved the pillow under her head before it dropped and then stretched. Clothes. Where had she tossed his clothes? Oh Right!Half of them were in her room. No matter, he was done sleeping, so he would grab a shower and put his proper suit on.

'He thinks he's so clever.' Rose mused to herself. Like she wouldn't feel him move and wouldn't know the difference between his chest and a pillow. Really! The pillow was much to soft for starters, not to mention cold and far too quiet. The sound of his dual hearts beating softly was a sound that was relaxing and comforting. She could fall asleep like that every day. She cracked open one eye and smirked a bit as he stood and stretched his arms high in the aim. 'What a lovely view.' As she admired the way the muscles in his back rippled; also a pretty decent arse as well. As he started to scan the room for his clothes, she closed her eyes again, listening for the sounds that he had left the room. Once gone, she made the bed and set out to her own room to find something to wear.

Showered and shaved, the doctor pulled on a light blue button-up shirt from his collection and checked his reflection in the mirror, noting a few light marks here and there along his chest and neck that indicated Rose had claimed him as her own. He smiled, pulled on the rest of his suit, adjusted his tie and made his way to the console room. Naturally, he was surprised to find a fully dressed Rose sitting on the jump seat munching away on an apple. She was dead-asleep not 10 minutes ago and where had she found an apple?

" Mornin'."

"Good Morning, Rose. Well, relatively speaking, morning I suppose. Sorry if I woke you, I tried to be quiet."

"You were quiet, but the pillow was a poor substitute in warmth and comfort."

"Where did you find an apple?"

"In that big garden room. It's a real apple, isn't it? Not something that looks like an apple but is really gonna kill me, is it?"  
"Naaaah, it's okay. I had forgotten about that room. I wonder what else is in there." He wondered if she'd care to share.

Noting the look on his face, she reached into the pocket of the sweater she was wearing and tossed a second apple to him.

The quiet was slightly unnerving, the sounds of them each crunching their breakfast did little to make it less awkward.

'Well, Rose Tyler, have you had enough of a rest from traveling or are you ready to run with me again?"

Crossing the room, she slithered her way under his arm and wrapped an arm around his waist. He settled her into the crook of his arm and was content to just stand there with her, both staring at the console displays.

"Doctor, we have all of time and space; what's your hurry? I could really do with one more day in. You know, for relaxing and stuff. If you're that restless and absolutely _have_ to run, then this should help. Catch me!"

With that, she darted out from under his arm and down the TARDIS corridors, looking for a place to hide.

'There are worse ways to spend an afternoon,' he thought, 'and very few better ones.' All of time and space could wait until they were bored enough to venture back outside. It would probably be a while. He bent down to retie one of his trainers then took off after her, wondering where she would be hiding. He looked forward to what he would do to her when he found her.


End file.
